Separable attachment-plug.



Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

G. D. PLATT.

SEPARABLE ATTAOHMENT PLUG.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1909.

wi/bweo '0 QLAEENGE D. PLATE, OE BRIDGE/PORT, CONNECTICUT.

snrsnenrn errncnnnnnrnne.

Specification of Letters'tsetent.

Patented Anna. 5, i lith and State of Connecticut,- have invented certain new and ,usefnl Improvements in Separable Attachment-Plugs, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description, whereby any one skilled in the art may make and use the same.

The invention relates tonplug for connecting translating devices of various sorts with a,line-wire, through a suitable receptacle, having terminal contacts for the circuit.

It relates more particularly'to a separable attachment in which one portion of the device may be insertedvand held in the receptacle while a second ,portion may be detached or attached thereto and will provide for the necessary electrical. connections for transmitting current to any device connected with v the renioveble portion.

'llhe objects of the invention are to giroride a veryts znple and compact device lIl 3F7lllCl'l the several psrts rnsy be readily main ctured and assembled, securing accuracy end efficiency both insssenibly and operation.

A. further object is to provide a plug in which the base-or body part is formed in sec tions which, when applied will securely loci; and inclose the various, parts, including the contact members and conductors.

still further-object is to l-provide for isolsted chambers for the contact neniberswith provision ,for the insertion or removal of cooperating contacts and of the contact ncinbers themselves A still further object is tosrrernge a body pnrthaving a central stud contsct end thresded sleeve contact, wherein seid. sleeve contact is securely held by the parts of the body portion and in. tow ineloses said body portio rand its cooperating contract clips.

Referring to the drawings l igure l is a View in el vetion of the device with portion of the conducting shell and hotly pert broken sway to illustrate the lwklng ccnnection between the two members of the body part. Fig 2 is a top plan view of the body portion of the plug. Fig. 3 is :1 bottom plan view of the top section 01 the body pz tion. Fi 4 is central sectional view through the lower member of the body pen -tion. Fig. 5 is e central vertical section through the cap, of the plug. the contacts being shown in full lines. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the cap illustrated in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is (1 general view of the cap with the nen'ibers oi the body portion cut in section fend the contact clips and conductors .ar-

ra inged l11'FG.l5}ll\"8 positions ready for assembly. Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the threaded shell contact. l ig. S) is a central sectional view of the shell illustrated in Fig. 8.

ln devices, of the gencral character to \vliicli this invention relates. it',.is necess;iry

to provide for certain'feetnrcs. of safety in operation nndthe conductz nce of current without liability of ,liridging. The parts, of the separable attachment plug, must he so ii-ranged, that the plug may be securely inched with reference to. the receptacle having, the terminals vof the line wire circuit, andwvith provision for the removal of the cop and the breaking of the circuit Without undue nrcinp' .or such ercinn' ns will disturb the loner-at; or endanger the device.

The device may be used with receptacles of any well known ty ie provided \vithterninol contacts of the .l klison tyne, Thomson llouston type, or any other errnngemer and, ot rse, as herein shown end descriherh nary lie modified to suit the condi tions of contact arrangements usedi,n any receptacle, \vhercinn plug attachment isnpplicable. it is sentialthat the removable cap hear conta which, cooperating with the. contact clips of the main body portion, will be securely locked in place and electriczilly connected when the cap is in place and willperinit; ready rcniovshility of: the cap and separation of the contacts. Without danger to the operator or liability of improper action of the current carried by the circuits.

is hereinafter defined, the objects of the invention are carried out by arranging the several ports, in such nsnnen thet the conducting elements may he simply formed and nssenibled and will in connection with the insulating body portion, insure proper action within all reasonable limits of safety.

in the accznnpunyinn lrauvii A? the nun'ierel i, denotes :i removable cn lmvingn central per t' 2, through which tlre iQl' conductors may ens he seemed to contact plates 3, t. These contact plates are located in a recess 5, in the under side of the cap and have contact lugs 7, 8, extending therefrom. The plates are secured in any desired manner as through screws 9, 10,

and the lugs 7, and 8, are provided adjacent 1 to their lower ends with locking members 11, g 12, which are preterably formed by pressing E out the material 01 the lugs 7, and 8, to form lugs having angularly disposed taces, where by sharp locking shoulders 13, 11, are secured. This cap 1,with its contacts, may

lar conductor 30, which is centrally located with reference to the body part 15, and recessed within an opening 31. The contact clip 23, is securely held in place in the opening 31, by a conductor screw 19, which forms the central stud contact of the plug through its connection with the metallic plate This plate is so formed as to extend within a recess 32*, and the head of the screw 19, is countersunk in the contact plate be readily removed from or attached to the 1 body portion 13, and the contact clips thereof, as hereinafter defined.

The body portion 13, of insulating material, comprises two sections, an upper section formed roove 17, arranged in the lower section. The lug 16, also serves a further tune 1 l tion of securely holding in place one ot the contact clips when the upper and lower sections are bound together as by a screw 18,

-extending through the upper body section and into the contact clip, which, as shown herein, is securely held to the lower body section by a conducting screw 19. The up per section 1%, also serves to hold a threaded sleeve contact 20, in place and only upon the separation of the two body portions may said threaded sleeve contact 20, be removed. i

The lower section 15, of the body portion is of cylindrical form and is provided on substantially dian'ietrically opposite sides l facilitate insertion and removal of the plug.

with recesses 21, 22, which provide isolated chambers for the'contact clips 23, 2-1. The threaded sleeve contact 20, is slipped over so that a smooth and perfect central stud contact is provided.

The upper body member 14, is provided on its upper face with a dish-like cavity 34, and extending through said member are perforations 35, 36, which permit the passage of the contact lugs 7, 8, of the removable cap 1. These perforations are of just sullicient size to permit passage of'the contact lugs of the cap and form the contracted openings leading into the recesses 21, 22, which contain the contact clips 23, 2-l. Each of said clips is provided with a clamping shoulder 37, which will resiliently grip the locking lugs 11, 12, of the contacts 7, 8.

The contact clips 23, 24, are located just below and in registering position with reterence to the perforations 35, 36, and upon insertion of the cap contacts 7 ,8, through said perforations, will receive the contacts and hold them in firm electrical contact and even against accidental removal. A sharp pull upon the cap will, however, withdraw the lugs 7 S, from the contact clips and break the electrical connection of the conductors and the'base clips. The upper body section 1-1, is herein shown as knurled to ()t' course, the bar 16, cooperating with the slot 17, prevents all relative rotation of the the upper end of the body portion 15, and is 3 provided at its upper edge with inturned lugs or flanges 25*, which, when seated upon the upper surface of the lower body portion and clamped between said member and the upper body section 14, is securely locked in place and forms one contact member of the plug.

\Vithin the recess is arranged the spring clip 2 t, which comprises a U-sliaped parts of the body portion.

There is a special advantage in utilizing a two-part body portion inasmuch as the porcelain from which such parts are made, will have a better opportunity for shrinkage in course of manufacture and by having a plain cylindrical body portion with the threaded sleeve contact covering the same, the complication of securing comparatively member having upwardly extending arms I 25, 26, and a contacting lug 27, preferably struck out from the mctal'of the clip. This; contact clip 24, is not secured within the recess 22, by other means than the threaded sleeve contact 20, which bears against the contact lug 27, and thus provides proper electrical connection between the sleeve and the clip.

The recess 21, separated from the recess 22, by the body of the insulating material, serves as a receptacle for the contact clip 23, which, as shown herein, is of substantially U-form having upwardly extending arms 28, 29, the latter connected to a tubutime, the various parts may accurate threads for the reception of the sleeve contact is obviated. The parts will fit snugly together and may be positively locked against movement. At the same be readily separated for inspection or renewal.

In assembling the device, the contact clip 23, is secured in place by the conducting screw 19, and after inserting the contact clip 24;, the threaded shell contact is pressed down over the upper end of the body portion 15. The upper section 14: is then bound in place by a screw 18, which extends into the upper end of the threaded opening of the contact clip 23. The bar 16, engaging the opening 17, of the lower section 15, prereac es vents relative rotation thereof, and as it ere tends into the openings 38, 39, between the projecting flange members 25, of the threaded sleeve contact, said sleeve is'securely held against relative rotation.

The dished portion 3%, of the body part i forms a convenient guide for insuring proper location of the contact members 7, 8, of the cap 1. No matter what position the contacts are placed in, so long as they are within the depressed dish-like portion 84, a slight rotation of the cap will insure an engagement of its contacts with the openings 35, 3t, and thereupon a slight pressure will engage the contact'swith the clips 23, 2e.

()bviously the details of the device might be varied to a. considerable extent without departing from the spirit or intent of the invention and the contact elements might be varied in size. shape and form to make the plug adaptable to various types of receptacles.

The device, herein shown and described, is somewhat similar to the device shown in a co-pending application, in so far as the open receptacles upon the side of the body portion for the introduction of the contact clips is concerned. it difiers, however, in having a two-part body portion with all of the connections in the chambers and exterior of thebody portion and in the an rangeinent by which the threaded sleeve contact may be secured without interengagino threads between the body and shell.

EVhat I claim as my inventionand desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A; separable attachment plug comprising a body portion of insulating material formed in sections, a recess extending across one of said sections, a projecting insulating bar projecting across the other of said sections and adapted to register'with the recess of the hooperating section, contact openings formed in the sides of the lower body section, guide-openings formed through the upper body section and registering therewith, contact clips arranged 1n the body recesses and connected respectively with a threaded sleeve contact, and a central stud contact, said sleeve contactinclosing the recesses and constituting a means for holding one of the contact clips'in place, and means for clamping the base section together.

2. A separable attachment plug corn rising a base of insulating material provided with contact recesses formed in the sides thereof, a base-portion covering the upper ends of said recesses and provided with perforations registering therewith, a transverse groove formed in one or the base-sections, a transverse bar on the cooperating section registering therewith, a threaded sleeve contact encircling the lower base-section and with flanges resting on the upper end thereor", said flanges so formed as to engage opposite sides of the transverse projection of the upper base-section and means for locking the base-sections in place.

3. A separable attachment plug comprising a base and cap bearing cooperating contacts, said base formed in two sections, one of said sections provided with contact recesses and a central opening, a contact clip mounted in one of said recesses and provided with a threaded projection extending into the central opening and forming a nut, a central stud contact engaging said nut from one end, a locking screw engaging said nut at the opposite end and locking the base sections together, and a threaded sleeve contact encircling the base section and engaging a cooperating contact clip.

i. A separable attachment plug comprising a base and cap bearing cooperating contacts, said base formed in two sections, one of said sections bearing contact clips, a threaded sleeve contact surrounding said base section and connected with one of said contacts, a central stud contact engaging the other of said contact clips through a tubular threaded member centrally disposed with reference to the body part, and a locking screw intermediate the base sections and engaging the tubular threaded member, said threaded member serving as a union for binding the base parts together.

CLARENQE D. PLATT. Vfitnesses:

T. MERLE SHAW, Dow R. Brass 

